First impression 2 weeks in

Just started playing 2 weeks ago and I am still here and enjoying the game even more than I thought I would.  I have yet to find this "bug fest" some people are commenting on and most of the people I have met in game that have had problems have turned down their graphics setting to remedy them (the post rendering is an issue for some but not me).  Overall the game runs fine for me on max settings and the world is very unique to say the least.  Graphics and sound all make the environment even more like the end of the world feeling they were shooting for.

The maps are based on the real world Grand Canyon area and topographically it looks a lot like that part of the world in many respects.  The feel of the game is very "mad max" and a lot like fallout especially with some of the strange things you see in the world(some things got mutated along the way)  The story line makes sense and if you read the quests you get drawn into the story.  There is a very detailed crafting system and this is one of the main features of the game.  You can craft everything in the game given enough time and patience.  This is the first game I have played since EQ where I find myself taking notes as I play.

Combat is twitchy and you need a degree of skill to be able to take down enemies without getting beat to a pulp(your a clone so if you die you are genetically reconstructed at a Lifenet fascility).  You can play in either first or third person modes and I tend to switch back and forth depending on what I am doing.  There are no preset classes and you get better by doing things in the game and also by earning and spending ability points to improve different aspects of your toon.  I ended up deciding to spec into pistols and also am inproving stats to craft and heal. 

The community is by and far the best I have ever seen in a game.  The game is filled with mature and intelligent players as far as I can see.  I don't believe this kind of game would be attractive to the "barrens chat" crowd as it is very detailed and takes time to learn.  There is a dedicated help channel you always have access to and there has never been a time that a GM or community vollunteer was not immediately available to answer questions or help.  I have never seen this level of service in a game and this was amazing to me considering it use to take 3 days just to get a reply from a GM in the last game I played.  This game is a lot smaller by far but the number of people that will help you is much higher.

The difficulty of the game so far is reasonable but not easy.  I have had to figure a lot of things out as there is a learning curve to some parts I have been in so far.  Again the help channel has been a lifesaver and I did get into a great clan (guild) that has also helped in hooking me up with gear and supplies as well as teaming up for some of the harder content.

The enemy AI is a bit lacking IMO and at times the mobs don't behave logically.  This is not game breaking to me but at times it does break the atmosphere a little.  You get tons of bag space but you have a weight limit to what you can carry.  This adds a lot of realism to the game as you have to plan on what you will take especially if you are gatering heavy stuff.

You get a mount right off the bat and it can also carry things in its pack.  You can get better mounts by crafting them once you learn the skills needed.  You can also have pets who can also carry things and there are 4 different banks available to store things in around the world.  There is a very detailed auction house and an auction channel to buy and sell and most prices are very reasonable (there is only 1 server and this helps).

Overall I think this game is great for what it is, namely something different than the usually FTP MMO I have been checking out,  Deep crafting system, great community and a big interesting world with a detailed and driven storyline all make this one to check out.